Food package having food bowl and independent topping container

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an optically transparent food package including a sealed food bowl that is filled with a food, such as hummus or the like, and an independent sealed topping container that is filled with a topping to be mixed with the food when the food is consumed. The food package is assembled when the topping container is laid on top of the food bowl and a lid is detachably connected to the food bowl with the topping container retained therebetween such that the topping is suspended above the food. By virtue of the sealed food bowl and the sealed and independent topping container of the food package, the food and the topping will remain separated from one another prior to, during and after the food package is subjected to a high pressure processing (HPP) treatment in order to avoid mixing the food and the topping together prior to their being consumed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a food package including a food bowl in whicha food (e.g., hummus) is packaged and an independent topping containerin which a topping is packaged. The food package herein disclosed hasparticular application to be subjected to a high pressure processing(HPP) treatment by which potentially harmful food-borne pathogens andsimilar organisms are eliminated while an unintended mixing of the foodand the topping is avoided prior to their being consumed.

2. Background Art

It is known to expose packaged food to a conventional high pressureprocessing (HPP) treatment to eliminate food-borne pathogens and similarorganisms. Briefly, the packaged food is held in water under extremepressure so as to advantageously make the food safe for consumption andextend the refrigerated shelf life thereof. However, the high pressureto which the packaged food is subjected causes the food within thepackage to be mixed prior to its time of consumption which has, in somecircumstances, been known to cause problems for food distributors andconsumers alike. By way of one example, hummus is usually sold toconsumers in a clear container. A colorful and tasty topping istraditionally added so as to lie on top of the hummus at which to bevisible through the container in order to enhance the commercial appealof the hummus to consumers. If the container is subjected to the highpressure HPP treatment, an unintended consequence of such treatment isthat the topping is prematurely mixed with the hummus. When the hummusreaches the shelf of a retail store, the consumer is able to lookthrough the clear container and see the mixture of hummus and toppingwhich can be visually less appealing to the consumer than had the hummusand its topping remained separate and intact one above the other. Thus,the consumer may not be as inclined to purchase the high pressure HPPtreated hummus which costs both the food distributor and the retailer asale and may result in the hummus not being purchased at all.

Therefore, what would be desirable is a single container in which afood, such as hummus or the like, and a topping can be packaged and keptseparate from one another before, during and after the container issubjected to an HPP treatment to thereby avoid the hummus and itstopping from being prematurely mixed together prior to theirconsumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, a food package is disclosed including a food bowl thatis filled with a food, such as hummus or the like, and an independenttopping container that is filled with a topping to be added to the foodbowl and mixed with the food (i.e., hummus). Both the food bowl and thetopping container are preferably manufactured from a visuallytransparent material that is adapted to withstand a high pressureprocessing (HPP) treatment by which to eliminate potentially harmfulfood-borne pathogens and similar organisms in the hummus and the toppingwith which the food bowl and the topping container are filled. The foodbowl has a peripheral lip surrounding an open top and a peel-off filmsealed to the peripheral lip to close the top of the food bowl andprevent the hummus from spilling out. The independent topping containeralso has a peripheral lip and a peel-off film sealed to the peripherallip to close the top of the topping container and prevent the toppingfrom spilling out.

The food package is assembled when the topping container is turnedupside down so that the peel-off film thereof is laid flush against thepeel-off film at the top of the food bowl. A visually transparent lid isdetachably connected to the top of the food bowl at the peripheral lipthereof. The bottom of the topping container is removably receivedwithin a raised portion that is formed at the top of the lid. Thetopping container has an outwardly extending ridge running continuouslytherearound for receipt by a set of locking detents that extend aroundthe raised portion of the lid. Accordingly, the topping container isheld in place by the locking detents of the lid to lie atop the foodbowl so that the topping within the topping container is suspended abovethe hummus. The bottom of the food bowl has a stacking recess formedtherein within which to removably receive the raised portion from thelid of a different food package, whereby the food packages can bestacked vertically one above the other. By virtue of the food bowl andthe independent topping container, the hummus and the topping willremain separated from one another prior to, during and after they aresubjected to the HPP treatment. When it is desirable to consume thehummus, the lid is removed from the food package, and the toppingcontainer is removed from the raised portion of the lid. The toppingcontainer is turned over, and the peel-off films are peeled off the foodbowl and the topping container. The topping is now poured into the foodbowl where it is added to the hummus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a food package including a food filled foodbowl located at the bottom of the package, a lid located at the top ofthe package and detachably connected to the food bowl, and anindependent topping filled topping container held in place between thefood bowl and the lid;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the food package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another exploded view of the food package of FIG. 1 with thefood bowl and the topping container shown empty;

FIG. 4 is another exploded view of the food package of FIG. 1 showingthe lid, an exploded view of the food bowl, and an exploded view of thetopping container located between the lid and the food bowl; and

FIG. 5 shows a plurality of food packages like that shown in FIG. 1being stacked in a vertical column one above the other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is shown a foodbowl 1 of the kind that is capable of holding a food 3 prior to itsconsumption. By way of example only, the food 3 within the food bowl 1is hummus. However, it is to be understood that other foods besideshummus can be packaged within the food bowl 1, especially those to whicha topping will be added during consumption for the purpose of enhancingthe taste of the food. In this regard, another example of a food 3 to beheld by and packaged within the food bowl 1 is yogurt.

The food bowl 1 is preferably manufactured from a clear, visuallytransparent (e.g., plastic) material so that consumers can see the food3 that is packaged therein. The food bowl 3 has an open top and aperipheral lip 5 that extends around the open top. A peel-off film 7 issealed to the peripheral lip 5 to extend over and cover the top of thebowl 1 and prevent the food contents from spilling out.

Also shown in FIGS. 1-4 is a tapered container 9 which is separate fromand independent of the food bowl 1. The container 9 is filled with atopping 10 that can be added to and mixed with the food 3 that ispackaged within food bowl 1 at the time the food 3 is consumed. However,prior to removing the peel-off film 7 from the top of the food bowl 1 toaccess the food 3 packaged therewithin, it is preferable to separate thetopping 10 from the food 3 to prevent their being prematurely mixedtogether.

Thus, as in the case of the food bowl 1, the tapered topping container 9is preferably manufactured from a clear, visually transparent (e.g.,plastic) material to make the topping 10 that is packaged thereinvisible to consumers. The topping container 9 has an open top and aperipheral lip 12 that extends around the open top. A peel-off film 14is sealed to the peripheral lip 12 to extend over and cover the top ofthe container 9 and prevent the topping 10 from spilling out.

By way of example, where hummus is the food 3 packaged with the foodbowl 1, the topping 10 that is packaged within the independent toppingcontainer 9 to be added to the hummus is typically a mixture of oil,pine nuts, spices, and the like. However, if yogurt were to be the food3 that is packaged within the food bowl 1, the topping 10 to be packagedwithin the independent topping container 9 to be added to the yogurtwill typically be granola and/or fruit. By way of still another example,the food 3 may be a salad and the topping 10 can be salad dressing. Inany event, it is to be understood that the specific food 3 within thefood container 1 and the topping 10 within the independent toppingcontainer 9 to be added to and mixed with the food 3 prior to theirconsumption are not to be considered as a limitation of this invention.

It is contemplated that the food 3 packaged within the food bowl 1 andthe topping 10 packaged within the independent topping container 9 willbe subjected to a conventional high pressure processing (HPP) treatmentprior to their distribution to the public for consumption. It isdesirable to prevent the premature mixing of the food 3 and the topping10 as may occur during the HPP process if the food 3 and the topping 10were packaged together in a single container with the topping 10 simplyplaced above the food 3. Any such premature mixing of the topping 10with the food 3 prior to their consumption can negatively affect thecommercial appeal as well as a consumer's perception and decision to buythe food 3 that is packaged within and visible through the clear foodbowl 1.

To overcome this potential problem, a food package 30 is assembled whena lid 18 having a closed top is detachably connected to the top of thefood bowl 1 with the independent topping container 9 carriedtherebetween. The lid 18 is ideally manufactured from a clear, visuallytransparent (e.g., plastic) material that is flexible. A generallycylindrical peripheral base 20 surrounds the bottom of the flexible lid18 so that the lid encloses the topping container 9. A first set ofradially inward projecting locking detents 22 are formed in andcontinuously around the peripheral base 20 of lid 18.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, when the lid 18 of the food package 30 isdetachably connected to the top of the food bowl 1, the peripheral base20 of lid 18 is moved into surrounding engagement with the peripherallip 5 of the food bowl 1. The peripheral base 20 of the flexible lid 18is initially stressed and bent outwards to be able to accommodate theperipheral lip 5 of the food bowl 1 therewithin. When the flexible lid18 relaxes and returns to its pre-stressed shape, the locking detents 22that are formed in and around the peripheral base 20 of lid 18 aresnapped into receipt against and below the peripheral lip 5 of the foodbowl 1 by which the lid 18 is held in place over the food bowl.

The closed top of the flexible lid 18 has a raised portion 24 located atthe center thereof and extending upwardly from the peripheral base 20.The raised portion 24 of the lid 18 establishes a storage compartmentwithin which to receive and carry the topping container 9 so as tofacilitate the food package 30 having a compact and aestheticallypleasing configuration. More particularly, the topping container 9 thatis carried by the food package 30 is turned upside down during theassembly of package 30 so that the peel-off film 14 that covers the topof container 9 lies flush and face-to-face against the peel-off film 7that covers the top of the food bowl 1. When the lid 18 is moved intodetachable connection with the top of the food bowl 1 to complete theassembly of the food package 30, the relatively narrow bottom of thetapered topping container 9 is removably received within the raisedportion 24 formed in the closed top of the lid 18.

The topping container 9 has an outwardly extending ridge 25 runningcontinuously therearound. When the topping container 9 is located withinthe raised portion 24 of lid 18, the ridge 25 of container 9 is receivedin and captured by a second set of locking detents 26 that are formed inand extend around the raised portion 24 of the lid 18, whereby thetopping container 9 is held in place between the food bowl 1 and the lid18.

The bottom of the food bowl 1 lying opposite the peel-off film 7 whichextends across and covers the top of bowl 1 is provided with a stackingrecess 28. The stacking recess 28 extends upwardly into the food bowl 1towards the peel-off film 7. As is best shown in FIG. 5, the stackingrecess 28 enables a vertical column of food packages 30-1 and 30-2 to bestacked one above the other to create a stable configuration that isideal for either shipping a plurality of food packages 30 or displayingthe packages on a shelf of a retail grocery store or the like toencourage their purchase. That is, the raised portion 24 that extendsupwardly from the top of the lid 18 of a first food package 30-1 isremovably received by and held in place within the stacking recess 28that is formed in the bottom of the food bowl 1 of a second food package30-2 that is to be stacked above the first food package.

By virtue of the food package 30 that is disclosed herein, the food(e.g., hummus) 3 and the topping 10 that are to be mixed and consumedtogether are initially separated from one another prior to theirconsumption by their being packaged within the food bowl 1 and theindependent topping container 9 prior to, during and after the HPP highpressure process. When it is desirable to consume the food 3 with thetopping added thereto following the purchase of the food package 30, thelid 18 is first detached from the food bowl 1 by means of applying anupward pulling force to lid 18. The topping container 9 is then pulledoutwardly from the raised portion 24 of the lid 18 and turned over sothat the peel-off film 14 of container 9 faces up. Next, the peel-offfilm 7 is peeled off the food container 1 to permit access to the food 3therewithin, and the peel-off film 14 is peeled off the toppingcontainer 9 to permit access to the topping 10 therewithin. The topping10 is now ready to be poured from its container 9 into the food bowl 1and mixed with the food 3 so that the mixture can be consumed to theeating pleasure of the consumer.

It may be appreciated that when the food package 3 is fully assembledand ready for distribution (as is best shown in FIG. 1) so that theindependent and visually transparent topping container 9 is held inplace between the visually transparent food bowl 3 and the visuallytransparent lid 18, the topping 10 within its container will besuspended above the food 3 within the food container 1. Thus, despitethe turbulence to which the food 3 and the topping 10 may be subjectedduring the HPP high pressure treatment, the consumer will see a visuallyappealing food package 30 with the topping 10 remaining intact andlocated above and separated from the food (e.g., hummus) 3, whereby toencourage a purchase of the food package and the contents carriedtherewithin.

1. A food package comprising: a first food container and a first foodcarried by said first food container; and a second food container and asecond food carried by said second food container, wherein said secondfood is to be mixed with said first food so that the mixture of saidfirst and second foods can be consumed, said second food container beingheld in place above said first food container so that said second foodis suspended above and separated from said first food prior to the firstand second foods being mixed together and consumed.
 2. The food packagerecited in claim 1, wherein the first food carried by said first foodcontainer is hummus, and the second food carried by said second foodcontainer is a hummus topping including at least a spice.
 3. The foodpackage recited in claim 1, also comprising a lid detachably connectedto said first food container so that said second food container is heldin place by said lid between said first food container and said lid. 4.The food package recited in claim 3, wherein each of said first foodcontainer, said second food container, and said lid is manufactured froma visually transparent material so that said first and second foods arevisible through said lid and said first and second food containers. 5.The food package recited in claim 3, wherein said lid is detachablyconnected to said first food container so as to lie over and enclosesaid second food container and hold said second food container in placeabove said first food container.
 6. The food package recited in claim 5,wherein said lid has a peripheral base extending therearound and a setof locking detents formed in said peripheral base, and said first foodcontainer has a top and a peripheral lip extending around said top, saidset of locking detents from the peripheral base of said lid beinglocated below and engaged by the peripheral lip of said first foodcontainer when said lid is detachably connected to said first foodcontainer.
 7. The food package recited in claim 5, wherein said lid hasa closed top lying over said first food container and a raised portionextending upwardly from said closed top away from said first foodcontainer, said second food container being removably received withinsaid raised portion when said lid is detachably connected to said firstfood container, whereby said second food container is held in place bysaid raised portion between said first food container and said lid. 8.The food package recited in claim 7, wherein said second food containerhas an outwardly extending ridge running therearound and the raisedportion of said lid has a set of locking detents formed therein, theoutwardly extending ridge of said second food container being engaged bythe set of locking detents of the raised portion of said lid to holdsaid second food container in place within said raised portion so as tolie above said first food container.
 9. The food package recited inclaim 7, wherein said second food container is tapered and includes arelatively wide top and a relatively narrow bottom, the relativelynarrow bottom of said second food container being removably receivedwithin the raised portion of said lid, and the relatively wide top ofsaid second food container laying against said first food container whensaid lid is detachably connected to said first food container.
 10. Thefood package recited in claim 7, wherein said first food container has aclosed bottom and a stacking recess formed in and extending upwardlyfrom said closed bottom towards the raised portion which extendsupwardly from the top of said lid when said lid is detachably connectedto said first food container, the stacking recess formed in the bottomof said first food container having a size and a shape that conform tothe size and the shape of the raised portion of said lid.
 11. A methodfor making a food package with food packaged therein and ready forconsumption, said method comprising the steps of: locating a first foodin a first closed and visually transparent food container; locating asecond food in a second closed and visually transparent food container,where said second food container is independent from said first foodcontainer and said second food is separated from said first food;positioning said second food container above said first food containerso that said second food is suspended above said first food; detachablyconnecting a visually transparent lid to said first food container sothat said second food container is held in place by said lid betweensaid first food container and said lid and said first and second foodsare visible through each of said visually transparent first foodcontainer, said second food container and said lid; subjecting saidfirst and second food containers to a high pressure processing (HPP)treatment to eliminate potentially harmful food-borne pathogens fromsaid first and second foods after said lid has been detachably connectedto said first food container; detaching the lid from said first foodcontainer and opening each of said first and second food containersafter the HPP treatment of said first and second food containers hasbeen completed; and mixing one of said first and second foods in one ofsaid first and second food containers with the other one of said firstand second foods in the other one of said first and second foodcontainers and consuming the resulting mixture.